KINI ROUNDUP | Here are the key headlines you may have missed yesterday, in brief

Gov't lacks female representation, claims Dr M

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's government does not have enough female representation, Pakatan Harapan chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad told a Facebook live session, adding that the opposition will give women better roles if it comes to power.

Political analyst Wan Saiful Wan Jan, however, was quoted by Singapore's Straits Times, saying that Bersatu, of which Mahathir is also the chairperson, is struggling to reach out to women.

Harapan deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin challenged Najib to invite independent election observers to the upcoming general election if the latter's claim that the polls are free from cheating was true.

Malaysians are enjoying more freedom to express themselves under Najib's administration, claimed Communication and Multimedia Minister Salleh Said Keruak.

On the government's plan to tackle "fake news" via the formation of a committee, DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang said there should be a bipartisan parliamentary select committee on the matter instead.

Ulama worries Indira cannot ensure daughter practices Islam

What guarantee can M Indira Gandhi give that her youngest daughter Prasana Diksa can be a practising Muslim, if given custody of her, asked the president of the ulama association.

Abdul Halim Abd Kadir was responding to Indira's earlier reported remark that she does not mind Prasana remaining a Muslim, as long as she is reunited with her daughter.

In the wake of a court verdict in Indira's favour earlier this week, Perak mufti Harussani Zakaria proposed that the state government make the necessary amendments to insert the establishment of the syariah court in the Perak constitution.

G25, a group of retired top civil servants, however, lauded the Federal Court’s decision in Indira's case for its interpretation of the word "parent", and in clarifying the jurisdiction limits of the syariah court.

Former PAS lawmaker Mahfuz Omar said he will announce which political party he will join, in the next 45 days.

Other Kinibites

M Vasantha Piriya, 13, who attempted suicide after being accused of stealing her teacher's mobile phone, has died, and NGOs are asking for a murder probe against the teacher involved.

Lithuanian mural artist Ernest Zacharevic, famed for his work in Georgetown, Penang, claimed he was barred from entering Malaysia for reasons unknown.

Local tour guides are losing business to their counterparts from China, who charge cheaper for the work done, said a Nanyang Siang Pau report.

The Nattukotai Chettiar Temple committee in Penang has denied abusing two bulls made to pull its silver chariot, and cried hidden agenda behind the circulation of a video depicting such scene.

Bukit Aman corporate communications chief Asmawati Ahmad clarified that the police cars with "emblems" from China in Malaysia are props for a movie being shot in Putrajaya and not made to please China as claimed in a Facebook post.

Looking ahead

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak will hand over letters of 1MDB's haj pilgrimage programmes at the Tuanku Mizan mosque in Putrajaya.

His deputy Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will launch the Forest Research Institute Malaysia's building in Kepong.